Safety brake



C. G. ROSS SAFETY BRAKE June 7, 1932.

Filed Feb. 7, 1930 Patented June 7, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT NOFFICE CHARLES e. Ross, E Los ANGELES, ALiEoiiNia AssierNonv oE ONE-FOURTH 'ro .L A. EAEHUEE or `Los ANGELES, 'cALiEonNiA AND oNE-EoUETii fro .vieron L.

xoNTGsMARx, or Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SAFETY BRAKE Application led February 7, 1930. Serial` No. 426,557.

My invention relatesV to safety brakes, and A more particularly to brakes adaptedfor special use in connection with motor vehicles,

which brakes become automatically operative when said vehicles are positioned on an incline, the reverse movement of said vehicles by gravity causing saidbrakes to func-` tion to make brake application.

It accordingly is an object of my invention to provide a novel form of safety brake mechanism, preferably associated with the drive shaft of a motor vehicle, which mechanism upon reverse movement of said shaft by gravity will cause a drum shaft to shift automatically so said drum will engage a brake ap plication means, preferably in the shape of Y a roller housing, so said rollers will engage and effectively hold said drum, and ihence said drive shaft, against movement, said drum being automatically disengaged upon forward movement of said drive shaft, when the vehicle is placed in gear.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel form of emergency brake rei lease mechanism, .preferably associated with the gear shift of the motor vehicle, so the drive shaft may be reversed orv the safety brake released when the car has been parked, said mechanism. preferably comprising a movable locking ring associated as desired with the sa-fety brake,'a plural releasing means, which may take the form of a springoperated pawl, having a hair trigger operation engaging said ring to move thesame, and a set of reciprocatingand rotary elements, preferably actuated by a rack and pinion, which rack is engageable by Vsaid awl. p The above and further objects and advantages of my invention, as will hereinafter more fully appear, I attain by the construction described in the specification, and illustrated in its preferredform-on'the drawing, forming a part of my application.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawing, in which similar reference characters denote similar parts. In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a motor vehicle showing my .invention applied thereto, "A

Fig. 2 is across-sectional view, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows, y c

Fig. 8 is a similar view, taken von the linel 3-3, Fig. 2, also looking in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 4 is a view similar toFig. 2, but on a somewhat smaller scale, showing they re-` lease mechanism in the position kassumed when said mechanism has been manually re-` leased,

Fig. 5 is Fig. 2, but showing a modification in which the brake drum has been placed directly on the drive shaft, and Y Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view, taken on. the line 6-6, Fig. 2.

a fragmentay view, lsimilar to f Describing my invention more in detail,

in its broader aspects said invention com-V Y shaft, operable from said drive shaft, a roller vcarrying housing being associated with said drum, which housing is adapted to carry a set of rollers, which rollers, when said` drive shaft is reversed, are adapted to engage and hold said drum, and said drive shaft stationary, and when said drive shaft is given a forward movement, said drum is adapted to rotate on said rollers, causing said rollers to release said drum automatically.

It is also desirable toprovide a release mechanism for said brake, whereby, whenv the motor vehicle, with which. my invention Vis adapted to lbe associated, is parked,vor it is desired to reverse the motor vof said vef hicle, the brake may be manually released by a means, associated with the gear shift of the vehicle, if desired. n

Said manual release mechanism preferably comprises a spring-pressedfring surrounding the roller housing and movable on said rollers, any preferred mechanism, such as a rack and pinion, operable by the gear shift lever,

l. which pinioncauses a set of devices, such'as an eccentric, follower and roller, to permit said ring to operate a holding device, Vsuch as. a springfpiessed pawl to lock said rackin position, so the vehicle may be moved, or the motor reversed, said pawl having a hair trigger operation.

More specifically, my invention comprises a suitable housing 2, positioned at any convenient point on the motor vehicle 4, when said invention is applied to such vehicles as shown in Fig. 1, said housing, if desired, being provided with a partition, which partition may have any preferredv number ofV openings 8 for the purpose of obtainingas light a structure as possible.

The partition 6 defines a pair of compartments 10 and 12 (Fig. 3), and in the compartment 10 is positioned thestub or subsidiary shaft 14, mounted for rotation in suitable anti-friction bearings' 16, and also capable of a-slight axial movement in said bearings, which bearings maypassume any form in practice preferre v To lubricate the movable parts in both the compartments 10 and 12, I may provide the partition '6 with upper and lower openings or passages of suitable size 7'so any lubricant placed in the compartment 1() may be splashed from the compartment 10 through the upper passage 7 and returned to said compartment through the lower passage 7.

As seen morefparticularly in Fig. 2 the drive shaft 18 of the motor-vehicle extends through the housing 2, and-has mounted thereon in any preferred way a suitable driving device, such as the gear 20, which gear is in mesh with any other suitable driven means, such as the spiral gear 22 mounted in any preferred way on thel stub or subsidiary shaft 14, said shaft 14 extending through the partition l6, and has mounted'` thereon' a brake drum '24. The forward movement .of the drive shaft 18,"and, of course, the gear 20, is

'indicated by the arrow inFig.

Positioned in the compartment Y1,2, and surrounding the drum 24, is a roller carrying annular housing 30, which housing has mounted therein in` any preferred way the A rollers 28,which'are constructedof progressively increased diameter, so the drum 24 maybe held and locked 'under conditions presently to be explained.v

Movement ofthe drive shaft 18`of the Vvehicle (and gear 20) in the direction of the ings 16.

vention.

Should the drive shaft 18 be reversed,'due to gravity, as when the 'vehicle is standing upon a hill, and, due tov the weight/of the? vehicle, which will have' aztendenc'ynto move said vehicledown the hill, theigear 20`wi^ll 'ly to be described.

In case itis desired to reverse the motor, Y

be moved in a direction contrary to arrovk7 shown on Fig. 3. This movement will cause the gear 22 to shift its shaft 14 slightly to-` .prevents the motor vehicle' from 'l moving down".the incline or hill.

The amplitude of movement of the annular roller housing is in practice quite slight, and may be as small as one thirtysecond of an inch, -indirect or reverse movenient, said housing beingv .movable in and relatively to a locking ring 26, socalled since it coacts with .the rollers 28 to hold thefdrum l in the spiral opening 32, to be-hereinafter more particularly described, saidl rollers being' adapted to roll-on the inner wall of-said ring.

Should'it nowbe Vdesired to move the car forwardly it is merely placed-in gear, lgiving the drive shaft 18 a forward movement in the direction ofthe arrow'. Tl'iis'causes the drum 24 to rotate'on the rollers in reverse'inove ment than that previously described, and by reason of the I progressively increased "diam eters' of the rollers, automatically causingr them instantly to Irelease the drum 24.

It is not at allnecessary to provide the subi on the drive shaft.v

sidiary or stub shaft 14-andthe gears 2v() and 22, and the drum'may be directly mounted Such a `construction is shown in Fig. 5, where the drum=24 is directL ly mounted on the drive shaft 18', the restof 1 the structure being preciselythe same asvjust i described and as to the other features presentor it is desired to move the car manually, as.v

whenit is parked, a special construction is 1 l provided. This construction is more ularly shown in Figs."2,3, 4 and 5.

Surrounding the roller housing y30, is ai particlo'cking ring 26, which is provided ywith a'" spiralY opening 32, said ring being movable. on the Vrollers 28, and relative thereto, it be-` i ingrunderstood, of course', that the rollers 28 Inaymove toward Vand, away from'the drum 24,'even when the Vring 26is locked, and said# ring may also move on'said rollers to perm-itv their brake release, as presently to be. de-

scribed.

Thev roller housing 30 may be provided witlil; a slot 34 inwhich-.is positioned va pini 2` 6to limit the movement of said .housing upony the movement of thefrollers28, the movement ofv which, fromfbrake application to brake release, as hereinbefore stated, -is a practice quite slight.

The `locking ring 262? is `cutaway asat it (FigsJ21andi4), and in. saidrcut-awayfportionris: :mounted the abutmentpm 40,1 a re-k f -silient means, such as the.-fsI-)ringlu42,11` conigli? which will now be described. Said mechanism comprises a roller 44, adapted to engage the ring 26 in a cut-out portion 46 (Fig. 4) therein, which functions to permit said roller 44, to hold said ring stationary.

Both Vthe roller 44 and the follower V48, which may be an ordinary block of suitable dimensions, are operable in a way 5 0, in the casting of the partition 6, and the follower- 48 is adapted to engage an eccentric 52, mounted upon a shaft 54 upon whichv is keyed the pinion56.

The pinion 56 is in engagement with a rack 58 (Figs. 2 and 4), slidable in the way 60, against af resilient means, such as the spring 62, and the rack 58 has aV projection 64, engaged by the rod 66, which may be secured to and operated by the gear shift lever 68 (Fig. l) or otherwise.

Mounted in any preferred way on the locking ring 26 is a segment portion 70, which is cut away as at 72, which cut-away portion is adapted to be engaged by a roller 74 positioned on the lower end of a pawl 76, movable within the compartment 12. The pawl 76, at any convenient place is cut-away, and in said cut-away portion is positioned a spring y78, abutting said pawlv and a pin 80, positioned in said cut-away portion. The upper end of the pawl 76 is beveled as at 82, which beveled portion is adapted to engage the notches 84 in the lower end of the rack 58.

Should it be desired to release the brake drum 24, while the car is parked, so it may be moved manually, or to reverse the car, the gear lever 68 is moved, which causes the rod 66 to engage the projection 64, moving the rack 58 against the tension of the spring 62. This causes the eccentric to be moved to the position shown in Fig. 4, the spring 42 causing the ring 26 to assist its return to initial position, the roller 44 being moved out of the cut-away portion 46 and the follower 48 pushed against the eccentric 52, as hereinafter more particularly described.

This `movement causes the segment with its cut-away portion to move the roller 74 of the pawl 76 to permit said pawl by the action of the spring 78, to engage momentarily its beveled end 82 with one of the notches 84, holdingl the parts in position as shown in Fig. 4, the cutaway portion in said segment automatically causing the release of said pawl.

This causes a temporary lock of the parts, the action of the pawl 76 coacting with the roller 44 to permit the release of the brake rollers 28, while the roller 74 rides on the cut-away portion of the segment 70, which cut-away portion, as the locking ring 26 turns under the action of the spring 42, instantly causing the withdrawal of the pawl `76 from its engagement with one of the notches 84, making a hair trigger snap and release. This releases the rollers and the car may be moved or-reversed.

For a forward movement of the car, the lever 68 is shifted, the springs 62 and 42 automatically causing the parts to assume the position shown in Fig. 2. It will be understood that the drum 24l may be braked and released, irrespective of the ring 26 and its appliances, as hereinbefore explained.

It will be noted from theforegoing that the mechanism is absolutely automatic in its action. Should theoperator of the car desire to reverse said car, or back up, it will, of course, be necessary to shift the lever 68 so the gears will be placed in reverse position. The rod 66, being in practice associated with the lever 68 in any way desired, is operable only when gears are shifted for reverse movement, and never in any way for forward movement or forward shifts ofthe gears.

Assuming that the drum 24 is in locked position, caused by the engagement of the rollers 28 therewith, to reverse, it is necessary to release said rollers from said drum,

so said drum will be permitted to r'un freely f in a direction contrary to that which causes said drum to be locked, when reverse movement is not desired. The gear shift lever 68 is then moved to reverse position, causing the rod 66 to engage the'projection 64. VThis moves the rank 58 against the tension of the spring 62, whereupon the pinion 56 is rotated to the position shown in Fig. 4.

This leaves an open space between the eccentric 52 and the follower 48; and when the drum 24, by reason of the reverse movement of the drive shaft, is forced into a counterclockwise direction by said movement,-said drum will force the rollers 28 into a counterclockwise direction, bringing a pressure to bear upon said rollers, and Vat the same time permit the drum 24 to `rotate freely therein.

This mov-ement of the ring 26 will cause its cut-away portion 46 to force the roller 44, and the follower 48, against the eccentric 52, as depicted in Fig. 4, thus allowing a reverse movement of the vehicle.

Moving the lever 68 so as to place the reverse gear out of mesh, the rod 66 is free to move to its original lposition by the action of the compressed spring 62, thus permitting the ring- 26, by aid of the compressed spring 42, to move to its initial position, which ring also assists such movement by the reason of the friction of the rollers 28, caused by the drum 24, when the car is moved forwardly.

From this it will be observed that the apparatus will not permit a motor vehicle to make a reverse movement unless the operator thereof shifts into reverse gear, said vehicle being held absolutely stationary even when positioned on a hill; and, should said operator attempt to move said vehicle man- .u'ally, oriby any other `means than its own reverse 'gear shiftjhe ywould experience great difficulty. f

Hence, the pawl 76 is provided. To reverse manually, thefoperator must first shift thegears into reverse, and from said posiion to'neutral position. VIn making the reverse gear shift,v as previously explained, the rod 66 is at thel same time moved to engage 'the projection Gil, causing the rack58 to be moved against thetension of the spring 62, the pawl 76 by reason ofthe tension of the spring 78, engaging the'ratchet 84:. Therefore, said pawl, by reason-of its beveled point 82, holds the rack 58 against the tension of `the spring 62. f Y

, The function of said construction is to vholdthe rack 58 and the eccentric 52 from returning to locking pcsiticn, and hence permiting the operator to place the gears in neutral, step out of the car, and pushl said car backwards, if it is desired to do so. 7 In manually pushingthe car backwards, the identical action takesplace on the drum 24, rollers 2S, and the ring 2G, as that when the car. is reversed. by the action of the motor. I-Ience'the movement of the ring 26 causes the cam pertionv of the segment 70 to act on the roller 7 4,and instantly disengages the beveled end SZof the pawl 76 from the rack 8a, making al hair-trigger snap and release, causing the apparatus again to operate automa-ti cally, irrespective of the pavvl 76. From this it vill be seen that the pawl 76 is utilized only when the car is reversed by any other means than the power of its motor.

'Vilhile I have'thus described my invention with great particularity, it will be clear that the same may be modified throughout a wide range. I accordingly do not propose tobe limited to the exactdetails of construction shown and described, but reserve the right inpractice to make any and all modifications thereof that `fall within the scope of theappended claimen l `I claim as my invention:v v 1 An automatic safety brake andzrelease mechanism comprising a drive shaft adapted to be reversed by gravity, ay combined brake shifting and brake release means on said shaft,l a brake shaft, a combined shiftable braking and brake release means on said brake shaft, anda brake including rollers of progressively increased ldiameters associated with said brake shaft for braking said drive shaft when said drive shaft is reversed. l 2. An automatic safety brake and release mechanism for motor vehicles 4includingthe drive shaftof said vehicle, of automatically operated brake application means including rollers of'progressively increased diameters associated with said shaft for braking said sha-ft when said vehiclel is on an Vincline and said-shaft'is reversed, and for automatically releasing said 'mea-ns when` said 'vehicle-f is thrown into gear.

3. Ina motor vehicle, mechanism for .autovmatically making brake application on said vehicle by its gravity reverse movement when it is on an incline, and automatically releasright angles to said drive shaft, shiftable braking means secured to said stubfshaft whereby said drive shaft may( shift said stub shaft, and a brake on said stub shaft.

5'. In a safety brake mechanism, 'a' drive shaft, brake shifting means on said'sh-aft, a brake shaft, shiftable braking means on'j said brake shaft, a brakeV associated with said brake shaft, both'of said means being adapted to coact upon reverse movement ofl said drive shaft to make brake application-thereon, and to'release said brake upon forward movement of said drive shaft, and a manu"- allyoperable release mechanism associated with said brake for releasing said brake so said drive shaft may be released.

6. In a motor vehicle, mechanism foraut'omatically making Vbrake applicationl when said vehicle is standing upon an incline by its reverse movement, said mechanism including rollers of progressively increased diameters and automatically releasing said 4brake applil cation when Vsaid vehicle is vthrowninto' gear, and means associated with the gear shift of said vehicle for releasing sai-d brake application so said vehicle vmaybefmov'ed. if

7. In a safety brake mechanism, 'a drive shaft, a shiftablestub shaft juxtaposed to said drive shaft, means on said drive shaft for shifting said stub shaft in one direction when the movement of said drive shaft is reversed, and in the opposite direction when said drive shaft is moved forwardly, a brake asso-A ciated with said stub shaft, and manual means associated with said brake for releasing said brake.

8. A brake comprising a shiftable shaft, a brake drum on said shaft', a. brake housing surrounding said drum, anda set of rollers associated with said housing, said rollers be.; ing adapted to be engaged by said drum when brake application is made by 'shifting' said shaft. 'l 1 9.- Brake release Vmechanism for a safety brake, said brake including a shiftable shaft and a brake drum thereon, said mechanism comprising a locking housing having an opening therein, a set of rollers of progressively increasing diameter associated With said housing and movable circumferentially therewith, said drum being adapted to be brought into engagement with said rollers when said shaft is shifted and means for moving said housing circumferentially through said rollers for releasing said rollers from engagement with said drum.

l0. In a brake release mechanism for safety brakes including a shiftable brake drum, the combination of a movable roller housing associatedwith said drum, a set of rollers secured to said housing, a movable locking and release ring surrounding' said housing, said ring having an inner surface engaging said rollers, means for opposing the movement of said ring, and manually operated means associated With said ring whereby said ring may be moved to cause said rollers to release said drum.

11. In a brake release mechanism for safety brakes including a brake drum, the combination of means for making brake application to said drum including rollers of progressively increased diameters, locking means for locking said brake application means, mechanism for releasing said locking means, and manual means for operating said mechanism.

l2. In a brake release mechanism for a brake drum, the combination of brake application means associated With said drum including rollers of progressivelv increased diameters, locking means for locking said brake application means, and means for releasing said locking means, said means comprising plural means for engaging and moving said locking means.

13. In a brake release mechanism for a brake drum, the combination of brake application means for engaging said drum including a locking ring for locking said brake application means, and plural means for locking and unlocking said ring, one of said plural means comprising a reciprocating means for engaging and moving at least two of the other of said plural means.

14. An automatic safety brake and release mechanism comprising a drive shaft, and

means including rollers of progressively increased diameters on said shaft for holding said shaft stationary when it is reversed by gravity, and for automatically permitting the release of said shaft When it is moved forwardly.

15. A brake holding and release mechanism comprising a rotatable drum, a housing surrounding said drum and a set of rollers of progressively increased diameter mounted in said housing, a ring surrounding said housing, said rollers being adapted t0 hold said drum stationary by engaging said drum and said ring when its direction of rotation is reversed, but when said drum is rotated for- Wardly, the rotation of said drum on said rollers will cause said rollers to release said drum.

16. A hair trigger release mechanism for a brake. drum including a roller housing associated with said drum, anda spring pressed ring surrounding said housing, plural means associated with said ring, and adapted to coact therewith to cause said ring to release said brake drum by a hair trigger action, and lock said ring With respect to said housing after said ring has been released.

17. Ibn a safety gravity-operated brake mechanism, a drive shaft adapted to be reversed by gravit brake shiftin means on said shaft, a bra e shaft, shiftav le braking means including rollers of progressively increased diameters on said brake shaft, and a brake associated With said brake shaft for holding said drive shaft when said drive shaft is reversed.

18. In a safety gravity-operated brake mechanism, a drive shaft adapted to be reversed by gravity, brake shifting means on said shaft, a brake shaft, shiftable braking means on said brake shaft, and a brake drum on said brake shaft for causing said shiftable braking ymeans to make brake application on said drum When'said drive shaft is reversed.

19. A brake comprising a shiftable drum, a housing surrounding said drum, a set of rollers of progressively increasing diameter mounted on said housing, a ring member surrounding said housing and provided with a spiral opening, and means for shifting said drum, said rollers, When said drum is shifted, being adapted to coact with said drum and the Wall of said spiral opening to make brake application on-said drum.

In testimony whereofV I have signed my name to this specification. Y

CHARLES G. ROSS. 

